Representative Gene Ward (R-Hawaii Kai) today sent a letter to President Trump requesting he meet with North Korean President Kim Jong Un in Honolulu. The purpose of the meeting is to put their differences on the table over the recent ICBM tests that have shown that Hawaii and the US mainland are now in reach of North Korea’s nuclear missiles.

In this letter to the President, (see attached) Ward stated,

“In light of this situation, you well know the adage that “when diplomats stop talking - bullets start flying.” My problem is that we have not been talking to North Korea for years, nor have we now even begun talking with the North Koreans about their aberrant and dangerous behavior with their missiles.

“May I call upon one of your strengths as a strong negotiator and a master of the art of the deal to step up our diplomatic game and try to reach some understanding with the North Korean dictator. If we don’t at least attempt to get the North Koreans to the table, we will have missed an opportunity with the possibility of a negotiated settlement, however remote this might appear at this stage.

“If we don’t try a soft power approach soon with you as “Diplomat in Chief,” I fear that their so-called “Supreme Leader” may continue his bullying unabated, and you will be forced to turn the matter over to your generals.”

Ward continued by citing Hawaii as the ideal place for the two leaders to sit down to settle the matter.

“We are the capitol of soft power in the Pacific with two elite diplomatic institutions: the East-West Center and the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies. Hawaii was also host to the 2011 APEC meeting, and we have a majority Asian and Pacific Islander population with a sizeable South Korean community.” Last month, Ward sent a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis urging more protections for Hawaii against the missile threats from North Korea. He also shares a PowerPoint presentation with many community organizations interested in learning more about the North Korean missile threat.

“There is a nuanced line between being an alarmist vs. being in denial of the seriousness of the threat posed by North Korea, and I want to be neither, but I do know for certain that this issue is not going away.” Ward concluded.

(Rep. Gene Ward is a graduate of the East-West Center and served in a diplomatic role as Peace Corps Country Director in East Timor; he now serves in the State House of Representatives (Hawaii Kai - Kalama Valley).